Long Story Short (CS#1)

Chapter 9: Birth Of Beauty Belle

Song to vibe: Story Of My Life by One Direction

Chapter Nine

Birth Of Beauty Belle

Tinanaw ko ang weirdong nagpakilalang Alona Gonzales kuno. Nandoon na ito ngayon sa counter at tini-train na ni Mel pansamantala. Ang balak kong pagtanong rito kung paano niya ko nakilala bilang 'Beauty Belle' ay naudlot dahil pinasimula na ito ni Zell sa pagtrabaho. Well, hinayaan ko nalang dahil maraming highschool students ang biglang pumasok sa café.

Speaking of 'Beauty Belle', these trigger me to reminisce of how I created it and how I first have an interest in writing ...

I WATCHED my glamourous of a grandmother chewed her food carefully before I drop the ticking bomb.

"I don't wanna be an actress or an idol ..." All eyes are on me the moment I said it.

Me and my cousin's Arvan and Arenzo just graduated a week ago and today is our family dinner for that. Before sitting here infront of these long and elegant table, I have a wild guess they will discuss about our college future or something and guess what?

I'm right!

Nauna ng ginisa ng mga matatanda ang kambal na si Arvan at Arenzo.

My cousin's are entirely different when it comes to appearance and personality. Arvan has a big body and has a lively personality while Arenzo has an average body type and is ozzing with dark aura. When Arvan said he wants to become a dentist while Arenzo wants to become a lawyer, I'm not really that shocked with the differences but I don't get Arvan because he desire to become a dentist where infact, he loves to eat. But when he explains he just choose it randomly, that's when I regreted that I bothered thinking about it.

Now, it's my time to be grilled.

My grandmother and my dad suggesting or rather insisting for me to enter showbiz or choose business as my majors in college since our business is all about entertainment industry.

I watched Mommita -- that's what we call our grandmother -- as she gave me her full attention to me.

"Then, choose Business majors instead if don't wanna follow my footsteps."

I rolled my eyes at the back of my mind. Mommita is proud and very vocal about where she came from. In every conversation, lagi niya nasisingit na dati siyang sikat na aktres before she married my deseased grandfather na negosyante. Although, nang mamatay si lolo, siya ang nagtaguyod ng mga naiwang negosyo nito at pinakawalan niya na ang pagiging aktres at ngayon nga, numero uno na sa industriya ang negosyo namin and we really thankful for that. Pero hindi ibig sabihin nun na susundin ko na ang lahat ng gusto niya..

"Mommita, I don't like business either."

Nangunot ang noo nito. "Then, what the hell do you want?"

"I want journalism." I carefully said it because I don't want to upset my grandmother since I'm aware, I'm her favorite granddaughter.

Natahimik ang lahat. I want to question them, what's wrong with choosing journalism? It's close in entertainment industry too!

Napatingin kami kay Arvan nang bigla itong tumawa. "Seriously, cous'? Ayaw mo maging artista pero gusto mo maging paparazzi, instead?"

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. It's what he thinks about journalism? What a bird brain.

I was about to depend it when Arenzo did it first. "No, it's not entirely about reporters." Sinamaan din nito ng tingin si Arvan pagkatapos ay sakin saglit. "It is actually related also in entertainment industry, right Belle?"

'Belle' is my nickname, only those close to me who knows that nickname exist. My dad first call me that because it means beautiful in French.

Ngumiti ako sa kay Arenzo, napataas naman ang gilid ng labi niya. Sa mga gantong pagkakataon, maasahan talaga ang talino ni Arenzo. Tumingin naman siya sa mga matatanda pagkatapos. "It's a good choice of program. Belle can enter related marketing, communications, or in public information roles of careers."

Nang mapatango-tango ang mga matatanda napangisi ako kay Arvan.

"Tss. Pareho lang 'yun." Pabulong naman na komento niya.

Pero nang mapatingin ako kay Mommita, mukhang hindi siya satisfied?

"If that's the case, then Belle can take care of our business.. right, Belle?"

Napanganga ako. Akala ko, nakuha na nito ang gusto namin ni Arenzo na iparating but I guess, she's completely eaten by the desire that someone in the family must take over the business in the future..

Nangapa ako ng sasabihin nang biglang nakisawsaw sa usapan ang trese anyos at bunso kong kapatid na lalaki na si Andrew.

"Belle seems doesn't want to take care of our business, Mommita.. if she don't like it, then I will take care of it instead!" Pagmamayabang na sabi nito na akala mo ang dami ng naambag sa lipunan where infact, nagpapatulong pa siya sa'kin ng assignment niya minsan.

Ikinatawa ito ng lahat. Inirapan ko ito. Pasimple naman itong sinita ni Mommy dahil hindi ako nito tinawag na 'ate'.

Pagkatapos ng family dinner namin. Naupo ako study table ko at nakaharap sa aking laptop, I'm not sleepy yet so I read some stories here in writerspad. Tulog na ang lahat and I bet, tanging ilaw nalang dito sa kwarto ko ang natatanging bukas. Mula rito sa nakabukas kong bintana, tinanaw ko ang buwan.

I badly want to write and I wanted it to become my profession but I think it's not the right time to tell my family about it, especially my grandmother..

I sighed. Tumingin ulit ako sa binabasa ko. Mayamaya pa, na-bored na ko sa daloy ng kwento dahil action iyon at hindi ako mahilig sa action kung kaya clinick ko ang profile ng writer. Hindi ako madalas bumisita ng profile ng mga writers dito sa writerspad dahil basa lang talaga ang nais ko pero dahil sa usapan kanina, parang naiinggit ako sa mga writers na nandito..

The moment na makita ko ang bio ng writer ay nagulat ako na madami pala itong followers at nadiskubre kong lalaki pala ito.

The hell?

All along, lalaki pala ang may gawa ng mga binabasa kong kwento?!

His followers is understandable because his stories are good and he writes different genre, so you can choice whatever genre suit your taste and that's what I like about him but to knew that he's a guy and can write this oh so good stories? Hell, I don't know but there's something inside me triggered.

Like if he can? Damn, I can too!

So, under the moonlight, pen and a notebook and a laptop and cup of coffee, they witnessed how I born to become a writer.